UK robot expert adds a European perspective to robot sales figures, commenting that UK laboratories lag behind their European competitors in automation
Nigel Smith, MD of TM Robotics, has moved to reinforce robot sales figures issued by Warwick University-based British Automation and Robot Association (Bara).
Smith's company exclusively represents Toshiba Machine, one of the world's leading robot manufacturers, in Europe.
As a result, he is aware of every Toshiba Machine robot sold across the continent. "In the UK we are very aware of the potential of robots in the automotive industry, as is demonstrated by the fact that over 400 of Bara's reported robot sales are from car plants in Oxford," said Smith.
"However, in other industries we lag behind.
"For instance, there remains enormous potential for the food, electronics, plastics, packaging, pharmaceutical and laboratory industries.
"Furthermore, in the UK these industries trail European counterparts in their take up of robotics.
"In other countries, notably Italy and Germany, there are industries outside automotive.
"In fact, attitudes in these countries toward industrial robots is also reflected in their take up of service robots.
"However, the fact that there were 507 machines sold in the UK in the third quarter of 2004 is very encouraging", concluded Smith.
